This past August 13th, Patrick Harmon, A 50 year old black man, was shot three times by Salt Lake City police officer, Clinton Fox, the footage of which was caught on Fox’s body cam. Although this incident occurred in August, an ongoing investigation has carried on for seven weeks and his actions, shooting Harmon three times as use of deadly force, were now claimed justifiable on October fourth.

The night of August 13th, Harmon was riding his bike across six lanes and a median. According to Fox, he was legally required to have a red rear tail light on his bike, which Harmon did not have.

Fox stopped him and when asked for identification, Harmon gave several different names which then caused Fox to call for backup. When tried attempted to be placed in handcuffs, Harmon ran. Fox ran after him and after he had seen Harmon with a knife, who had allegedly said, “I’ll f****** stab you,” he shot him three times. Fox claims he shot Harmon as a use of deadly force, because when he pulled out the knife he was frightened that Harmon would stab him and/or the other officers.

Harmon’s older sister, Antionette Harmon said, “that video is horrifying,” she doesn’t understand the reasoning behind it nor how Fox’s actions were a use of deadly force. She later also said that Harmon was bipolar, schizophrenic, and possibly homeless. Harmon’s death has brought back the argument of police’s use of deadly force against black men.

It is well aware that the police officers sometimes take advantage of the fact that they’re a position of authority and when a black man is seen as a “danger” or “suspicious” they are often killed.

It is seen that Harmon pulled a knife out on the footage; but, officer Fox claimed Harmon had said, “I’ll f****** stab you.” Meanwhile on the footage taken, the word stab was never heard, but instead you heard, “I’m going to cut…” I

If Fox insisted that shooting him was the only way to prevent him, he could’ve shot him once somewhere that would keep him from continuing to run but not resulting in death.

The evidence provided and this train of thought was clearly not taken into consideration, seeing that Fox’s actions for shooting Harmon three times and resulting in his death was justified a use of deadly force. If cases such as this one continue to occur police authorities will keep thinking they can use this power of authority as an advantage, that resulting in killing the man in question is the right way to go about things.